Adjustable supporting device



Jan. 3, 1933. o. c TEUFEL ADJUSTABLE SUPPORTING DEVICE Filed April 18, 1932 02in ma a,

ATTORN EY Patented Jan. 3, 1933 UNITED STATES OTTO CARL TEUFEL, OF ELDON, IOWA ADJUSTABLE SUPPORTING DEVICE Application filed April 18, 1932. Serial No. 605,917.

My. invention relates to a new and useful device in the form of an adjustable support which may be utilized to advantage for supporting various articles, such, for instance, as garments, towels, bird cages, etc.

In carrying out the invention I employ a suitable bracket with an arm operably connected thereto in such manner that the latter may be adjusted to different positions, such as a horizontal position, or a vertical or approximately vertical position by swinging the arm upward or downward. The arm is provided with a plurality of hooks which are so shaped that the articles can not fall therefrom when the arm is adjusted, to any of the above-mentioned positions.

In order that the invention ma be fully understood, reference will now be ad to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the device with the arm adjusted to a horizontal position in full lines, and to upward and downward positions in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the arm in a horizontal position and with supporting means therefor in vertical section.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, excepting that the arm is shown in raised position.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, excepting that the arm is shown in lowered position.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the arm supportin means.

Fig. 6 is a ragmentary side elevation of the arm with a modified form of slot therein.

Referring in detail to the different parts, 2 designates the arm which'is provided with a suitable number of hooks 4, the terminals 6 of which extend inwardly towards the arm to prevent articles suspended from said hooks from falling off when the arm is adjusted to any of its positions. The heel portion 8 of the arm has parallel, or approximately parallel upper and lower surfaces 10 and 12, respectively, joined by a rear surface 14 which in the present instance is shown extending at substantially right angles to the surfaces 10 and 12. The heel portion 8 is provided with an angular slot 16 havlng a branch 18 paralleling the upper surface 10 and a branch face 14.

The present invention also includes suitable supporting means for the arm. In the present instance said supporting means is shown in the form of a bracket 22 and a pivot 24, which latter extends freely through the slot 16. Preferably, the bracket 22 is formed from sheet'metal and comprises a back portion 26 and side flanges" 28. The back portion 26 is provided with holes 30 through which nails or screws 32 may be passed for securing the bracket to a wall or other object, and the flanges 28 have axially alined apertures 34 for reception of the pivot 24. The flanges 28 also have oppositely disposed recesses 36 which register with the curved portion 38 of the rearmost hook 4 when the arm 2 is in the lower position disclosed by Fig. 4. By thus providing the recesses 36, an article suspended from the rearmost hook can not be displaced by the flanges 28 when the arm 22 is lowered. The inner surface of the back portion 26 cooperates with the heel surfaces 10, 12 and 14 in supporting the arm 2 in its various positions, while the flanges 28 prevent side sway of the arm 2.

The operation of the device is readily apparent on referring to Figs. 2 to 4, inclusive. In the former figure it will be seen that the arm 2 is supported in a horizontal plane'by the rear surface 14 of the heel portion 8 bearing against the inner surface of the back portion 26 of the bracket 22, while the pivot 24 extends through the slot 16 at the juncture of the branches 18 and 20. To adjust the arm 2 to the position shown by Fig. 3, said arm is swung upwardly to a vertical position and 20 paralleling the rear surthen pushed straight downwardly until the V upper end of the branch 18 rests upon the pivot 24. To adjust the arm 2 from the position shown by Fig. 3 to that disclosed by Fig. 4, said arm is raised straight upwardly until checked by the juncture of the branches 18 and 20 contacting the pivot 24, whereupon the arm is swung downwardly to a hori-' zontal position and while in the latter position is pushed upwardly until checked by the lower end of the branch 20 contacting the pivot 24. The arm is then swung downwardly until checked by the surface 12 of the heel contacting the bracket 22.

While the device may be utilized to advan- 5 tage in different places it is especially convenient for use in a clothes closet, where in the event it is situated too low to afford sufficient headroom when the arm 2 is in a horizontal position, said arm may be swung either upward or downward to provide ample room, without danger of articles falling from the hooks 4.

In the modified form disclosed by Fig. 6, the arm is substantially the same as that shown by Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, as is evidenced by corresponding reference numerals with exponents a, the chief difference being that the slot 18a, instead of being angular is straight and parallel with the rear surface 14a of the heel portion 8a, which arrangement limits adjustment of the arm to only two useful positions, i. e., the horizontal position and the downward position.

lVhile I have shown two forms of the invention I reserve all rights to such other forms as may properly fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. For instance, instead of forming the heel portion 8 and the slot 16 in such manner as to cooperate with the bracket 22 in supporting the arm 2 in horizontal and vertical positions, said heel portion and slot may be arranged to cooperate with the bracket 22 in supporting the arm 2 at other angles if desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A device of the character described comprising an arm having a heel portion with a rear surface extending substantially at rightangles to said arm, said heel portion having a slot paralleling said rear surface, hooks spaced upon said arm, a bracket having oppositely-disposed flanges between which the heel portion projects, and a pivot carried by said flanges and extending through the slot so that the arm may be adjusted either. to a horizontal or a downward position, said flanges having oppositely-disposed recesses which register with a portion of the surface of the rearmost hook when the arm is in lowered position.

2. A device of the character described comprising an arm having a heel portion with a rear surface extending substantially at rightangles -to said arm, said heel portion having an angular slot. with one branch paralleling the rear surface of said heel portion 63 and another branch extending longitudinally of the arm, a hook on the rear portion of the iarm, a bracket having opposltely-disposed flanges between which the heel portion projects, said bracket being adapted to cooper- 423 ate with the heel portion in supporting the In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

' OTTO CARL TEUFEL. 

